


The Hunting of the Snart : Return of the Hunt

by Oranges_and_Wildfires



Series: The Hunting of the Snart [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Barry Allen in Love, Character Death, Leonard Snart is a control freak, M/M, if all goes well there will be a happy ending with lotsa fluff and smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-17 01:40:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16506857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oranges_and_Wildfires/pseuds/Oranges_and_Wildfires
Summary: Barry tried to be in a relationship with Leonard Snart but after a few nice dates, the criminal got cold feet and broke his heart. But then, hunting the Snart was never supposed to be easy and the most difficult endeavours yield the best prizes. Or so he hopes.





	1. Regroup and go back on trail

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody!  
> Thanks to you all for reading and commenting the first part of the story. I'm sorry it took so long to continue, Barry needed some time to sort his head about Stuff (and so did I). Hopefully, this time he'll have the happy ending I know you're all waiting for. That is, unless Len acts up again (but he better not or I'll sick canthelpmyselves on him and trust me they're way scarier than Oliver). Happy reading! (Fair warning, there's still some angst ahead but it'll get better very soon, promise)

Barry didn’t mope. Why would he? Len, _Captain Cold_ was a liar, a criminal, a villain and most definitely bad news. He’d known that ever since he first met the man. There was no reason to care about what he did or thought. Barry obviously didn’t care. So why did he feel like crying _again_? It had been a week for crying out loud - nope, not crying - six long days, nineteen hours and who cared how many minutes, even less seconds since Snart had driven his point home.  
  
Barry sat despondently on the couch, not really paying attention to _The prisoner of Azkaban_ playing on TV. Cisco wasn’t much more attentive as he kept an eye out on the monitors for criminal activity. The overflowing energy that usually drove Barry to pace restlessly seemed extinct and his shirt buttons were askew. Caitlin had tried cheering him up but since she didn’t know what was wrong - and he wasn’t telling- she’d given up after one last advice : find someone to talk to. Barry figured Cisco was the only one who could really relate to his current situation what with him being _friendly_ with another criminal of the same family. Barry was trying to gather his thoughts to broach the subject and failing miserably. He decided to strip the band-aid quick just as Cisco decided to say something clever.    
  
“So…”  
  
“Snart ditched me.”  
  
They had spoken simultaneously.  
  
“What!?”  
  
Barry squirmed under Cisco’s glare. Which turned to a quizzical expression and morphed into a dawning face.  
  
“Wait, what? Which Snart are you talking about?”  
  
“What? Oh! No, not Lisa!”  
  
“Good because, good! Wait, no no no, not good, you’re dating _Captain Cold_?”  
  
“Well, not anymore.”  
  
“Man, I’m… sorry?”  
  
Barry gave a trembling chuckle.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
“Well, long story short. He was teasing as usual and I might have let slip I was maybe attracted and he offered to not pull his heist in exchange for sexual favors so I said I might accept but only if he took me on dates and he said yes. We had a couple and it was nice and then he changed his mind and broke my heart.”  
  
“He did.. I mean you did.. just did he… Man! OK, I’m gonna kill him! Wait no, Lisa would kill me. Oh, I know! Let’s sick the Arrow on him!”  
  
“Cisco! I don’t want him dead! I mean I do but I sort of _like_ him? So I’d rather have a boyfriend instead of a practice target full of arrows.”  
  
“Really? After what he did? Which you still haven’t really told me. Spill! I wanna know everything!”  
  
So Barry did, starting with what was on his mind first, having to go back a few times, starting all over to get the time line straight, going into great details since Cisco apparently wanted to know them all. Especially their first date. Cisco almost swooned over the care Len took with their first date. ‘ _Did he really cook? And dance? Man, I’d marry him if I didn’t like Lisa so much! And if he wasn’t you know, a criminal. And a man._ ’ Cisco’s priorities could be pretty odd sometimes.  
  
“Everything was going fine until I told him I was not backing up on my terms. It was like a door shutting. I already told you what happened next.”  
  
“But he knew your conditions didn’t he?”  
  
“Yes. I think it was more the manner. I sounded like I was giving him an order. Like ‘You have to do this or else’.”  
  
“What he has to do is clean up his act. He doesn't deserve you.”  
  
“Is that really what you think?”  
  
“Yes! Don't you?”  
  
“No... I love him exactly the way he is. Crime and all. It’s not like I’m Mr. Perfect either and there's no need to deserve anyone in a relationship. He… lashed out, it was as if I hurt him deeply. I don’t know what I did wrong Cisco but I want to fix it.”  
  
“You are kidding right?”  
  
“No, he isn't evil. No one I know really is. Except maybe Eobard and even him, I just don't understand his motivation but I'm sure he had one, however crazy it was and no Cisco I do not condone what he did. I'm just saying he didn't do it just to be evil, he had a reason. Snart had a reason, I hurt him and I just need to figure out what it was to make this right.”  
  
“Man this is fucked up!”  
  
“… I know. If he had been an ass from the beginning I wouldn’t bother but he really went all out to make it work. I can tell that he was uncomfortable with feelings though. And he definitely did have feelings and didn’t like that I tried to strong-arm him into admitting them.”  
  
“Well, I think you need to make him understand you're in charge from day one or he'll never respect you.”  
  
“Yeah? You mean like you do with Lisa?”  
  
“Low blow!”  
  
Barry laughed half-heartedly. How do you tell your best friend and fellow vigilante that submitting to your nemesis doesn't sound half as bad as it should, that you might actually enjoy it, especially if it makes them happy? That ordering them around feels downright wrong and that the idea of _them_ doing the ordering instead holds quite the allure?  
  
“Would it really be so bad if he was the one in charge? I mean, obviously dating a criminal is a terrible idea but… Would it make it worse?”  
  
“Are you into... Stuff?”  
  
“Uh?”  
  
“You know... BDSM”  
  
“No! No, I don't.. think so?”  
  
“Man!”  
  
“What? I don’t even really know what you’re talking about. Are you into it?”  
  
“Uh…”  
  
“Oh my god your are!”  
  
“What? Pff, no I'm not.”  
  
“You totally are! Cisco!”  
  
“I'm just saying, he's such a control freak you know, like, this thing he does, counting each step of his heists down to the second? Maybe he just needs to be in control like always. You can't really let him do that though, I mean he is one of the bad guys.”  
  
“No, of course not.” Preposterous, perish the thought and... Why not again?  
  
A loud blare made them jump out of their skins. Barry jumped on his feet, suddenly eager for action. By the time Cisco started fumbling on his computer, he was clad in Flash attire and bouncing on his feet, eager to go.  
  
“So, what’s up Cisco? Where is it?”  
  
Cisco frowned. “It’s all over the city. It’s bad Barry and it’s not a meta.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean there are reports of bombs exploding all over, malls, shops, banks, library, post offices, City Hall, police stations, you name it. Even business offices have been hit, so far the only place still standing is STAR Labs and apparently CCPN which is how we get to know any of it.”  
  
“God! What is happening out there?”  
  
Cisco was pulling a video feed from CCPN. They watched in silence as a lunatic raved about restoring the splendor of the Kahndaq Empire to its former glory and the need to destroy the country’s cities to do it.  
  
“Cisco, can you tell what’s happening in Star City right now?”  
  
“Trying but I can’t access any com network or news reports. Looks like a blackout.”  
  
“What about satellite views?”  
   
“Working on it aaaaaand… here you go…”  
  
Cisco fell silent at what the satellite revealed. He zoomed out, spanning the whole country. Everywhere angry red dots spotted the picture where cities used to be. Barry sagged.  
  
“There’s nothing I can do. Nothing that will do any good. I’m going to go see if I can find Iris and Joe. Caitlin is still here right?”  
  
Barry didn’t wait for Cisco to answer. He ran through the city, devastated at the amount of destruction it had suffered, was still suffering. The CCPD was all but in ashes, no way to even know if Joe had been there or not. He went to his home next but it was deserted so he headed to CCPN and was relieved to find that Iris was there, freaking out but unhurt. He grabbed her and rushed back to STAR Labs where he set her down next to Cisco.  
  
“Barry…”  
  
“I need to go back, I couldn’t find Joe.”  
  
“Barry, you need to go to the med bay. There’s…” Cisco faltered. “Captain Cold is here, he’s hurt, badly. He asked to see you.”  
  
Barry didn’t wait the end of that sentence before he bolted to the med bay. The wind of his arrival made Caitlin look up from the sheet she’d been pulling up. Barry froze, dread sending chills all over his body.  
  
“No.”  
  
It was barely more than a whisper but Caitlin seemed to understand. She patted his shoulder awkwardly. “He said to tell you he was sorry.”  
  
“No.” Then he was crumbling down, unable to stand, unable to breathe, unable to even cry. None of it was possible, he was having a nightmare again and when he woke, the city would be fine along with everyone he loved even if it meant that Captain Cold still hated him. Caitlin helped him up and they slowly made their way back into the Cortex. As they got there, an insistent chime sounded and another video feed popped up on screen.  
  
“Barry, thank god you’re still here!”  
  
“Lyla? What is happening?”  
  
“The man in the video claiming the attacks is called Adam Aqil. He was Gholem Qadir’s right hand. He gathered what was left of HIVE after we disbanded them and started recruiting more people half a year ago. We kept a close eye on his activities but his organization went under the radar two month ago. We knew they were planning something big but we were unable to find out what until now. Now, you might think it’s too late but Barry, there is a way to make it right. ARGUS is aware that you can go back in time so all you need to do is go back two month and tell me that we need to act immediately. Just say that ‘Louise Banks’ sent you.”  
  
Barry stared at her. What the hell? He only time traveled once, going back a few hours and there was no way on earth ARGUS could know about that. Right? Cisco was laughing bitterly.  
  
“Not funny Lyla. If Barry could time travel I’d know about it.”  
  
Barry squirmed and Cisco was looking at him pointedly all of a sudden.  
  
“You can’t right?”  
  
“Well…”  
  
Cisco’s face broke into a broad smile. “That’s so cool!” Cisco punched his arm. “Though I am totally not talking to you since you never mentioned it to me. Now go save the world.”  
  
_“And Miss Granger? If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. Three turns should do it.”_  
  
Barry  ran.


	2. Holloa, hello again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash back and try again. Barry runs into his favourite rogue on a heist again. What will the outcome be this time ?

 They'd run into one another yet again.    
  
Barry stilled just a split second. It was the oddest feeling, being here again, knowing what was gonna happen and still letting it happen. He imagined it was what actors must feel like, knowing they were going to get slapped and having to fake surprise, stopping themselves from flinching from the blow they knew was coming.   
  
In the end, it didn’t make a difference. Captain Cold shot ice in front of him like he had the first time and he crashed into him in the same fashion. He looked up at the criminal pinning him down, hardly resisting the urge to kiss him. Cold smirked.   
  
"Well well now Flash, I know I’m dashing but I didn’t peg you for the kind of man who would fall for me."  
  
Barry barely suppressed a snort. He remembered the puns but they still made him laugh. "Guess we all make mistakes sometimes,” retorted Barry casually. This time he didn’t miss the way Snart’s eyes widened in surprise. He hid it well.   
  
"Is that so?"   
  
Now he had to fake being embarrassed. Turned out it wasn’t that hard.   
  
"Wha-what do you want Snart?"   
  
Snart’s eyes glinted at his stammering answer. He looked ready to eat him alive and it made Barry shiver.    
  
"We had a deal. I don’t kill people, you stay out of my business. I want you out of my way."   
  
"Do you? You’re the one who’s keeping me here."   
  
"Well, I rather enjoy our current position."  
  
It was hard not to roll his eyes at that. But he had to take a decision now. Dates had not worked so well the first time around. Or maybe it wasn’t the dates but the trying to make him admit some feelings. Were feelings necessary? Barry didn’t want it to be just sex but there were so many other possibilities, feelings weren’t an on/off things, there were… shades. Maybe he could just let things evolve naturally and see what would be? And enjoy what the other was willing to offer in the meantime.   
  
"Tell you... What about we make a new deal Scarlet? You agree to come back at a later date and assume that particular position again in private and I’ll cancel this one heist. What do you say?"    
  
Barry knew, had known from the start that he was not letting this unexpected second chance go. He flushed, avoided Snart’s eyes and finally managed to open his mouth.   
  
“Why don’t you buy me dinner, we should probably, ah, talk. First.”  
  
The look on Snart’s face was just as priceless as it had been the first time. Captain Cold obviously didn’t fear anything so if he stood a little too quickly, it had nothing to do with anything. Barry was having a great time. By the time he was on his feet, Snart was impassible again.   
  
“We have a deal then. Let’s go.”  
  
Barry nodded slowly. He didn’t expect Snart to be eager to talk but really the sooner the better.   
“Let me make sure you hold your end of the deal here first. Meet me in an hour at Saints and Sinners?”  
  
Len made a face. “I can think of better places than Saints.”  
  
“And Sinners. I insist.”  
  
Len eyed him thoughtfully before agreeing. “One hour.” He turned on his heels and left unhurriedly. Barry surveyed his retreat, pensive. All things considered, it seemed to be going fine this time.   
  
—  
  
“So, you wanted to talk.”  
  
Barry took a minute to collect his thoughts. Ever since he came back in time to stop Adam Aqil, his mind had been running wild with hope. He’d played every single minute he spent with Len back in an endless loop, analyzing every tiny twitch, wondering if he would ever be able to thaw the hardened criminal. He had also spent almost his entire free time gathering more information on the villain, personal stuff he didn’t bother with before, digging into ‘Stuff’ and growing ever more interested in his findings. Now it was time to stop thinking and start doing. He was scared to ruin his last chance. He took a deep breath.   
  
“You made an interesting proposition.” He stalled.   
  
After a few seconds, it became painfully obvious he was lost for words and Snart couldn’t resist some snark. “Good to have confirmation. ”  
  
“Let me talk Snart,” said Barry with the utmost bad faith.   
  
“Touchy touchy!”  
  
Barry glared but the exchange had him on tracks again. “You’re a criminal and all that but you still have standards. And I’m supposed to be one of the good guys but I still make mistakes. So I guess there’s some common ground for an understanding. Like I said, I’m interested, although I’d rather it not be a one time thing.” He paused a second, expecting Snart to say something demeaning about it depending on his performances but the Rogue was keeping his mouth shut and studying him intently.   
  
“I’m still going to do my best to stop you every chance I get.”  
  
“Wouldn’t want it any other way. You going somewhere with that speech?”  
  
“Shush. You’re gonna learn things about me and you’re gonna dig at what I try to hide. I’m going to do the same.”  
  
“Obviously.”  
  
“Just thought it was fair to tell you that my powers gave me a good head start in information gathering.”  
  
Snart seemed to chew that. “Care to elaborate?”  
  
Barry took a deep breath. That had been the easy part. Now came the real gamble.   
  
“I am… aware that this fine establishment has a basement.”  
  
Snart’s face hardened subtly. “Are you.”   
  
“I have never been there myself but I would be… willing to take the journey there with you. If you will.”  
  
Barry had been proud to spot Snart’s surprise before. Now it was so obvious he would have been embarrassed for the man if he hadn’t been beet red with shame himself. Snart regained his composure quickly.  
  
“You don’t know what you’re offering.”  
  
“You’re right, I don’t have any experience. You do though and I trust you enough to… ah, enlighten me. I know what I want even though I never tried it and I believe we can definitely make a deal.”  
  
“You are a fool to trust me in this matter.”  
  
“That’s a popular opinion. But I trusted you with my life before and I’m still here. How much worse can it be?” Barry was very aware that the main risk wasn’t to his physical safety but Len had already broken his heart once and Barry was still convinced the potential reward was well worth the danger.   
  
“You make an interesting proposition.” Barry almost smiled at his own words thrown back at him.   
  
Snart nodded slowly. “Let me think about it.”  
  
“Of course.”   
  
“Give me your phone.”  
  
“What? No!”  
  
Snart stared him down. “You’re supposed to trust me. It’s just to give you my contact info.”  
  
“We already agreed you’re still a thief and you’re still gonna pry. I’m not handing you my phone. You give your phone.”  
  
Snart squinted at him, reached for a napkin, scribbled his number and passed it to Barry then got ready to leave.  
  
“Later kid.”  
  
“It’s Barry.”   
  
Snart sent him a strange look. “Sure. Be seeing you.”  
  
“Bye Len.” Barry saw him stiffen but he walked away without another word.


End file.
